We had much better weather for this year’s Open Farm Sunday event, held as usual at Michael Sly’s Farm at nearby Thorney.

This is run as a collaborative event, involving many farmers, neighbours, and farm machinery enthusiasts.

Around 3000 visitors were welcomed to the farm over the weekend, and they thoroughly enjoyed learning more about food, farming and the countryside. I must say a huge well done to all involved, here and across the country.

Here at Whittlesey, the bulb fly-damaged wheat I mentioned earlier has improved enormously and looks reasonably well. However, for the second year running I am having problems with sugar beet that has struggled to establish itself after late ploughing of overwintered stubble.

When we joined the Entry Level Stewardship scheme, we had other spring crops that were easier to establish after late ploughing, but with more winter oilseeds grown over the last two years, I have chosen to put beet in this slot.

A combination of some heavy areas within the field, long dry periods and my haste to make a seedbed – which should, with hindsight, have had more time spent on cultivations – has for the second year running left a poor start to one field of beet.

A combination of strategies will have to be considered to avoid a repeat next year. What is certain is that the oilseeds area will be maintained as new varieties and better growing techniques are making it one of the better-earning crops here.

We have a Campaign for the Farmed Environment walk, followed by the annual KWS open day here on Tuesday, 6 July, again looking at beet and wheat demonstration plots, which happily all look well. I would be pleased to hear from anyone who would like an invitation.